Under the new deal, Shein will design, manufacture and distribute a new line of Forever 21 apparel and accessories using Shein’s on-demand production model, which the organisation says will help to reduce inventory waste.

The range will include sportswear, activewear and swimwear products, amongst others.

Authentic Brands’ founder, chairman and CEO Jamie Salter says: “Shein’s innovative approach to engaging with consumers gives it the ability to deliver trends at speed. With an evolving retail landscape, where digital interaction has become the cornerstone of e-commerce, Shein has led the way in redefining how brands connect with consumers.”

Salter adds: “We are excited to partner with Shein, as this collaboration perfectly fits into our distribution strategy for the brand's new key markets."

Shein’s executive chairman Donald Tang states: “We’re thrilled to bring the renowned Forever 21 brand to Shein customers using our manufacturing capabilities and online store. Forever 21 and Shein share a mission to deliver products that our customers love at an incredible value. This exciting new aspect of our partnership with Authentic Brands furthers our goal of making fashion accessible to all and we look forward to bringing this to life for our customers.”

The collection will be available to purchase exclusively online through the Shein website and other digital channels in the US, parts of Europe and Australia.

Shein to ship Brazil-made apparel to Latin America

Shein also plans to start shipping the products it makes in Brazil to other countries in South and Central America by 2026, according to Reuters.

The fashion retailer started manufacturing apparel in Brazil in 2023, taking its production outside of China for the first time since its launch.

By 2026, Shein plans to produce 85% of its sales in Brazil manufactured locally.

In April 2023, Shein announced that it will invest US$150m to enhance the competitiveness of Brazilian textile manufacturers as part of its expansion plans in the region.

Speaking at the time, Marcelo Claure, chairman of Shein in Latin America, said: “Key to our growth strategy is leveraging our global scale and operational excellence to support and contribute to local economies and eco-systems.”

Shein acquired fast fashion brand Missguided from Frasers Group earlier this month (October 2023) and placed a one-third interest in the SPARC Group, which includes Authentic Brands and Simon Property Group in August. At the same time, SPARC also became a minority shareholder in Shein.